Council reveals it’s scouting for performing arts centre site

Artist's impression of a possible Performing Arts Centre once imagined at poppy park, opposite the waterfront at Goford and then later in Mann St, Gosford and now shelved. Image archive October 2015

Central Coast Council has revealed it is searching for new potential locations for a regional performing arts centre and reviewing the plans.

The update comes from a report tabled at the March 22 Council-under-administration meeting which saw Administrator Rik Hart agree to change the status of land in Mann St, Gosford, so it can be sold off.

The land at 73-75 Mann St, Gosford, was originally acquired in 2019 for the then proposed Gosford Cultural Precinct consisting of a Regional Library and a Regional Performing Arts and Convention Centre (RPACC).

In September 2019, Council withdrew from any further work on the Gosford Cultural Precinct and proceeded with a stand-alone Regional Library which will now be developed on the site of the Parkside Building in Gosford at 123A Donnison Street.

This latest update revealed Council is reviewing plans for the arts centre.

“The site for the RPAC will not be developed on any of the land previously identified for the Cultural Precinct and other locations are now being considered,” the report stated.

It gives no further details of where these other locations might be.

Council will now prepare a planning proposal to amend a State Environment Planning Policy (SEPP) to enable the reclassification of 73-75 Mann St from community land to operational land so it can be sold as part of the State Government plan to move the TAFE college to the former Council chambers in Gosford and surrounding land.

Council expects to sign a deal with the State Government soon to sell the former Gosford Council chambers as part of the deal.

Merilyn Vale